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Columbia (Bioshock)
Columbia is a floating city in the sky and is the setting of BioShock Infinite. It is composed of neoclassical buildings constructed on giant reactors and self-sustaining balloons to make the city literally fly over the clouds. History Constructed by the American government and originally conceived as a floating symbol of American ideals at a time when the United States was emerging as a world power, Columbia was dispatched to distant shores with great fanfare by a captivated public. However, what began as a brand new endeavour of hope turned drastically wrong: in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion, Columbia fired upon a group of Chinese civilians. This event revealed to the citizens of Columbia and the world the true nature of their floating city: that it was essentially a heavily armed aerial battleship. The event in question created problems between leadership in Columbia and the United States, causing the city to disappear into the clouds. Sometime after the city's disappearance, its inhabitants began a bloody civil war over drastically opposed ideologies. One faction, The Founders, supported ideals of American exceptionalism and Aryan values. The other, the Vox Populi, was passionately in favour of equal treatment for all races and religions. Both of these factions wished to use Elizabeth, a young woman with extraordinary abilities who had been captive within the city for 15 years, for their own ends. In 1912, a former Pinkerton agent named Booker DeWitt was sent to the city to bring Elizabeth to New York. Organizations The Founders '''are a major citizen faction and poltical party in the city of Columbia. Their name arises from the fact that they see themselves as the true founders of the city, and they attempt to model their ideals after the founding fathers of the United States. The party promotes ultra-nationalism, religious fanaticism, jingoism, and extreme xenophobia, and is currently engaged at war with the resistance group known as the Vox Populi. So far, the only known members of this faction are its leader, Zachary Hale Comstock, and another politician named Saltonstall. The '''Vox Populi, or "The Anarchists," are a diverse underground Anarcho-Communist resistance faction in Columbia that opposes The Founders' nationalist and xenophobic ideals. After the city-wide incident years before, the citizens of Columbia began to split into two factions: the Founders, and the Vox Populi. Led by Daisy Fitzroy, the Vox Populi first began as a protest group and a confederation of like-minded citizens and foreign immigrants, but as it became more organized its members grew more militant. The movement eventually abandoned its initial peaceful message in favor of retaliatory violence against the ultra-nationalist faction. They believe in communist ideals of everyone sharing everything, which eventually comes to mean that everything should belong to them. A member is heard shouting, "Your homes are ours! Your lives are ours! Your wives are ours! It all belongs to the Vox!" They appear to use crimson red on their warpaint, sashes, and clothing, and even use the color during their vandalism of destroying anything and anyone related to the Founders, especially going as far as attacking employed citizens, such as dentists and postmen.Both the Vox Populi and its opponents are in conflict with each other for control of Columbia, which is literally tearing the city apart from the sky. Much like the Founders, the Vox Populi want Elizabeth for themselves, either for her gifted abilities for their own agenda, or to possibly kill her. Like many groups throughout history, "Vox Populi" soon fragmented into several splinter groups over various internal ideological differences. Ironically, these internal factions are often more devoted to destroying each other than uniting against their common enemy. Populace The Citizens '''of Columbia are split into two opposing factions: the Ultra-nationalist Founders and the Anarcho-Communist Vox Populi. These two extremist groups, in their struggle for power, have a vested interest in Elizabeth and her powers, and will attempt to kill Booker DeWitt in order to capture her. As such, they provide the bulk of the forces pitted against the duo. Citizens attack in large numbers, and are able to use Sky-Hooks, Pistols, Machine Guns, Shotguns, and RPGs as well as Vigors. They are also proficient at combat tactics, such as flanking and taking cover and can operate machinery such as Security Zeppelins and Sky-Lines. Although frequently hostile, the Citizens will not always attack Booker, and will only open fire when provoked. The Handyman''' appears in BioShock Infinite as an archetypal armored enemy in Columbia. Their mechanized forms were created by Bettermen's Autobodies as a procedural method to help the ill-disabled citizens of Columbia to not only be able-bodied, but advertised as helping these citizens technically "live forever". Like the Big Daddies of Rapture, the Handyman is a human artificially bonded to a mechanical suit. Unlike the Big Daddy, Handymen are dressed in patriotic uniforms rather than diving suits and have a gorilla-like posture and build. They also have exposed human body parts, particularly their head and heart, the latter of which is kept in a fluid-filled glass tank on their chests attached to several hoses. Thick bundles of cables run from their limbs to a pair of conductors on their backs. The mechanical hands are made of porcelain. Each Handyman's torso bears the label "AUTOBODY". The Handymen possess great strength and speed and are capable of leaping great distances. They can close the distance between themselves and their target in fast charges. In battle they tend to be single-mindedly intent on destroying their target and may even pick up living beings (including their allies) to throw at the player. The Motorized Patriot is an automaton built in Columbia that resembles a creepy animatronic version of George Washington, and is a part of an all new "Heavy Hitters" class of enemies in BioShock Infinite. The Motorized Patriots were originally built to be tour guides for the city of Columbia, representing the clear system of beliefs of The Founders. With the war between factions, they were reprogrammed by different factions to be destructive foes. Donning American flags with its ruined presidential facade and shouting propaganda, this clockwork enemy is unwavering and brutal. Ken Levine, co-founder of Irrational Games says, "Unlike most of the enemies, he's completely fearless. He doesn't have a sense of self-preservation, so he'll just keep coming at you and coming at you." As the player deals damage to the Motorized Patriot, the porcelain-like rubber Washington mask will fall off, revealing the skeleton-like metal and wooden frame behind the mask. The player first encounters the Motorized Patriots in a non-combat situation within a Columbian museum similar to the Hall of Presidents in Disneyworld. Later on the player will be forced to fight them. Unlike other enemies encountered in the game, the Motorized Patriots lack a self-preservation instinct, so they never seek cover under the player's fire. They also tend to be slow turning, giving the player the advantage of being able to outmanoeuvre and outflank them. The Patriots all share the same vulnerability, which is the protruding gears in their backs. However, despite their seemingly slow and cumbersome appearance, the Motorized Patriots are well equipped to fight on or against enemies on the Sky-Lines. The Motorized Patriot will also feature a new heavy weapon, the Pepper-Mill gatling gun. The Pepper-Mill will be usable by the player character, Booker DeWitt, though they will only be found on the Motorized Patriot. Booker DeWitt has the ability to hack Motorized patriots so that they will fight for him against enemies, and the player can choose options that increase Booker's hacking abilities to make him more proficient against them. The Songbird is a 30-foot winged creature that is feared by the citizens of Columbia, and is Elizabeth's guardian. It is an influential character in BioShock Infinite. When Elizabeth was imprisoned in Columbia for fifteen years, a creature, simply called the Songbird, was created for the sole purpose of keeping her in prison and became the most feared creature in all of Columbia. During that time, it was the child's only company, bringing her such things as books and food. Although it held her captive, the creature had been her caretaker and protector. Eventually, she grew to love it as her only friend. When she had escaped, the Songbird was intent to bring her back, even if it meant destroying anyone and anything near her, including Booker DeWitt. Although it is a threat to the latter, Elizabeth still loves him enough to avoid conflict at all costs: if Booker decides to attack the Songbird, his relationship with her will deteriorate. Siren '''is an enemy in Columbia which has the ability to resurrect the dead by use of her shrieking voice. She resembles a ghostly specter clad in glowing cloaked attire, floating above the floor, similar to a Banshee. The main challenge when combating her lies with whom to target and fight. While successfully subduing her will also subdue any dead she had revived, the player will be open to their attacks during the fight. If the player targets the dead she revived, this leaves the player open to her attacks instead. The '''Boys of Silence are blind young people fitted with large metal helmets which give them a wide range of hearing. Booker DeWitt encounters them in Columbia during the course of BioShock Infinite. Boys of Silence are outfitted in blue suits that are reminiscent of a school uniform, and their most noticeable feature is their large metal helmets. These helmets are styled to look like an eyeless face with a gaping mouth, and each has large funnel-like tubes protruding from the left and right sides that amplify the wearer's sense of hearing. The main purpose of the Boys of Silence is to provide surveillance within Columbia. They usually appear strategically, forcing the player to decide whether to attempt to sneak past them or engage them directly. If one spots Booker or is otherwise harmed or alarmed, they may call for backup. Ken Levine compares them to the Security Cameras of BioShock, except with the ability to move and consciously hunt the player. Businesses ''' '''Leonie Brothers was a company run in Columbia known to sell special fireworks. They are usually found in barrels similar to weapon barrels used by The Founders. Their fireworks are sold in shops such as Major's Notions, Sundries and Novelties. Columbia Freight is a goods transportation service provided in Columbia in BioShock Infinite. It operates on the Sky-Lines and are encountered constantly whilst riding them by Sky-Hook. Although they are designated as cover when brought through a Tear, their tendency to move along Sky-Lines can turn them into effective blunt weapons, killing any unfortunate citizens upon impact. They also usually contain several small crates. Fink Manufacturing '''is a major business in Columbia. It is located in a company town with buildings that feature large towers, elaborate clocks and other mechanisms, and lavish interiors. The workers in the town are heavily oppressed, and the social upheaval among the inhabitants gave rise to the Vox Populi movement. '''Emporia Towers is a upper-class residential district, and part of the Emporia area in Columbia. The area is home to the Columbia Post Office and Comstock House. Emporia is also the third level of BioShock Infinite.In 1904, the district was bombed by an unknown assailant. By the events of BioShock Infinite, the area has been taken over by the Vox Populi. Their crimson red paint and banners can be found all over buildings, while Daisy Fitzroy's face and voice is projected thorough the red banners. The few remaining Founders and neutral citizens can be seen being evacuated via Columbia Transit stations and zeppelins. Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth must travel through this volatile area to reach Comstock. Phenomenon A Tear '''is a rip in dimensional time and space, revealing an alternate event which does not exist in the current Columbia world. Every citizen of Columbia is able to see Tears, but Elizabeth is the only one capable of interacting with them. When tapping into these Tears, she is able to transport something from there to the current world. However, she does so with the possibility of losing her concentration and causing the Tear to widen, producing unpredictable results. When fighting the citizens of Columbia, Booker may encounter multiple Tears ranging from a single turret, to a few members of either the Vox Populi or The Founders, to a completely separate Sky-Line. Elizabeth is then able to transport these to Columbia's world to either supply objects or mend an existing counterpart, yet this also forces a risk to herself when using her ability. '''Technology An Automated Stallion is a lifelike horse automaton in Columbia. Since 1904, Payton Lane Easter and his family engineered the Automated Stallion as an alternate mode of luxurious transportation for businesses and citizens through the streets, as well as replacing horses that are more likely to fall off the floating city when startled by weather conditions and enemy attacks. Security Zeppelins are large vehicles used for patrolling Columbia in BioShock Infinite. They are powered by two huge water-cooled piston engines mounted on biplane wings. These zeppelins have an aluminum structure filled with hydrogen, which makes them quite liable to catch fire. Security Zeppelins are armed with a turret mounted under the ship that holds two huge Gatling guns fitted with incendiary projectiles. Security Zeppelins can be destroyed using RPGs and Rocket Turrets, but are capable of soaking a great deal of hits before falling. Alternatively, they can be boarded, giving the player the opportunity to blow up their vulnerable engine from the inside. In the E3 2011 Gameplay Trailer, one was taken by the Vox Populi, appears and blocks Booker DeWitt's path to Zachary Hale Comstock's house. A painted message written "Our voice will be heard!" can be seen on the side near the front. The Automatic Gentleman is a form of servant automaton in Columbia. Programmed with the rules of etiquette and gallantry, Automatic Gentlemen serve the ladies of the city wealthy enough to purchase them. Wielded by automatons in the guise of revolutionary soldiers, The Automated Turrets have been seen to attack on their own. In the video, Heavy Hitters Part 1: Motorized Patriot, Booker asks Elizabeth to summon one of these Turrets through a Tear to go after the Motorized Patriot. Much like Rapture's Turrets, the Automated Turrets can be disabled with the Electric Vigor, as seen in the 2012 "Beasts of America" trailer. Artillery Turrets could be found spread across Columbia for its defense. This currently includes being used against rival citizens of the city. The Rocket Turret is a stationary, cannon-like turret seen around Columbia. As part of Columbia's advanced arsenal, the Rocket Turret is used to take down anything large in its way, whether it be a crowd of enemies or invading Security Zeppelins. Its only known appearance is as a Tear-optional item in the E3 2011 Gameplay Trailer of BioShock Infinite, in which Booker must destroy a Security Zeppelin. Although the Rocket Turret is visible and can be accessed, Elizabeth's powers in the gameplay were too weak at the time for her to summon it into existence. Category:Enemy Faction Category:Allied Faction